1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to guitar picks. More particularly, it relates to plectra or guitar picks with flush metal edges.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Guitar picks, or plectra, are very well-known in the art, and various types have been in the art for hundreds of years. Various shapes of guitar picks have been created as well, for example rounded isosceles triangle, equilateral triangle, more-rounded tear drop, or ovular shape, each of which has parallel opposed surfaces adapted for holding between a thumb and forefinger. Guitar picks also have varying thicknesses, typically between about 0.02 inches to about 0.06 inches, depending on the composition and intended use of the pick. Thinner picks can have higher flexibility typically used with thinner strings, and thicker picks can have lower flexibility typically used with thicker strings (e.g., bass guitar). Musicians are continually searching extensively for the optimal shape, material(s), configuration of materials, etc. to provide the best possible sound.
Conventional picks are composed of wood, plastic (e.g., celluloid, nylon, acetal, ultem, lexan, acrylic, delrex, delrin, polyethylene), metals, glass and other materials, such as agate, new tortis, felt, and PHD. Of course, each composition has its strengths and weaknesses. For example, plastic is resilient and is typically used on non-metallic strings. However, resilient picks do not provide the musician knowledge of the precise placement of the pick and plucking of the strings (i.e., lower accuracy) while playing because of how flexible they are, as they do not return to “rest” position as quickly. Softer materials further wear out more quickly, even within a single use, thus interfering with picking accuracy and tone.
Hard metals have been used, typically with metallic strings, for precision plucking of the strings on electrical guitars and similar instruments. However, picks fully formed of metals do not produce optimum sound quality, and because of its composition typically do not have a rounded edge on the pick. Additionally, a pick formed of hard (or even some soft) metals (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,680 to “Reineck”) does not have the flexibility of other materials and tend to wear down the surface of pick guards, guitar tops, and fretboards.
Attempts have been made to have softer material bodies with metal edges. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/651,195 to “Grant” describes an ovular guitar pick with a raised metal tip along its leading edge. Essentially, metal is disposed in overlying relation to the edge of the guitar pick and thus are not coplanar. Though the metal tip may provide a better quality sound when striking the guitar strings, the raised edge leads to a heightened weight imbalance of the pick, thus leading to a higher degree of mistakes and complications, due to the offset weight and tangling with the strings, among other reasons. Placing a metal tip in overlying relation to the opposite end of the guitar pick may balance the weight in the direction of the metal tips, but the pick would still be imbalanced in other directions, which may affect how a user holds the pick when in use. Disposing metal along the entirety of the outer edge of the pick may alleviate the imbalance, but then the pick becomes rather heavy (leading to lower sound quality and increased wear and tear instrument, as explained), and the raised edge all around the pick leads to inaccurate strumming and inability for the user to use a soft pick, thus requiring the user to have multiple picks potentially even during a single use.
Two commercially-available guitar picks claim to have metal edges but also suffer from similar drawbacks. The Dava Master Control Nickel Silver Guitar Pick uses a plastic housing with a punched piece of metal within one of its edges. The Clayton ZZ-Zinc Guitar Pick is completely made of metal (zinc) with a coat of paint (epoxy) on it to give the illusion that the pick is two different materials.
All referenced publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Furthermore, where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is incorporated by reference herein is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
Accordingly, what is needed is resilient-bodied, non-resilient-edged plectrum that contains flush barriers between the body and edge to provide optimum sound quality, while maximizing a user's ease of use. However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the field of this invention how the shortcomings of the prior art could be overcome.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate disclosure of the invention, Applicants in no way disclaim these technical aspects, and it is contemplated that the claimed invention may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.
The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore, the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.
In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge, or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.